Improvement in india-rubber boots and shoes



G. WATKINSON.

' India Rubber Boots and Shoes.

No. 208,776. Patented Oct. 8,1878.

N.PETERS. FHOTOJJTNDGRAPHER. WASHINGTON. D

GEO. WATKINSON, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE L. CANDEE &00.,

OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN INDIA-RUBBER BOOTS AND SHOES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 208,776, dated OctoberR. 1979; application filed July 12, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEO. WATKrNsoN, of New Haven, in the county of NewHaven and State of Connecticut, have invented a new Improvement inIndia-Rubber Boots and Shoes; and I do hereby declare the following,when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and the lettersof reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the same, and which said drawings constitute part of thisspecificaiion, and represent, in-

Figure 1, a side view; Fig. 2, longitudinal section through the heelportion. Figs. '3 and 4 illustrate the method of applying the invention.

This invention relates to an improvement in the manufacture ofindie-rubber overshoes, and particularly to the heel portion. In theusual method of manufacture the in sole is placed upon the last, thenthe upper is applied, and the lower edge of the upper turned over ontothe insole only a sufficient distance to make a strong connection; thenthe sole and heel are laid upon the insole, covering the edge of theupper. This leaves the heel only of the thickness of that part of thesole and the counter at the angle of the heel most exposed to severewear, and the result is that, the heel naturally wearing at the back,the counter breaks at that point earlier than at other points.

The object of this invention is to overcome this difficulty; and itconsists in applying around the counter, at the heel portion, an outerre-enforcing piece extending over the heel portion, and before the heelis applied, as more fully hereinafter described.

The upper A is prepared in the usual manner and applied to the lastafter the insole B in the usual method of making shoes; but after thisis done, and before putting on the sole and heel, the heel re-enforcingpiece C is applied. This piece C is cut from a sheet of rubber therequired thickness, as seen in Fig.

3. The outer edge may be of any desirable or artistic shape. The inneredge is gashed, as at a a. This piece is then applied to the counter atthe back, the parts I) b and d projecting below the bottom at the heel.These projections are then turned down upon the under surface, as seenin Fig. 4, completely covering that part where the outer heel is to beapplied, as seen at c, Fig. 2; then the sole and heel are applied in theusual manner. This not only thickens the heel portion around thecounter, but also adds to the thickness of the heel, and especially atthe angle f, where the wear is greatest, and it greatly strengthens theheel portion of the shoe.

It is well known that additional pieces have been applied to thecounters of india-rubber shoes for the purpose of stiffening orthickening the same, and therefore no claim is here intended to be madeto such thickening or stifienin g.

I am aware that an extra thickness has been applied around the heel andother parts of overshoes for the purpose of giving an increased strengthat those points, and therefore do not wish to be understood as claimingsuch construction, this invention being limited to the construction ofthe heel-cap, as described, whereby it is made to extend inward betweenthe insole and the heel, so to form an extra thickness or layer at theheel; but

What is claimed, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is

An india-rubber boot or shoe having the reent'orcingfpiece C appliedaround the heel portion or counter and extended over the sole betweenthe latter and the heel, so as to form an extra thickness or lift,substantially as described.

GEO. \VATKINSON.

Witnesses JOHN E. EARLE, H. A. KITSON.

